An Adaptation of Burke's Graphs of Air Mass Modification for Operational Use

Abstract

The utility of Burke's graphs for predicting the modification of surface temperatures when a cold air mass passes over a warmer water surface is briefly reviewed. A method of re-labelling the abscissae, ordinates, and curves of Burke's original graphs is discussed. Their operational use is facilitated by adopting the conventional units in which the synoptic information is relayed, and by significantly reducing the number of necessary computations. The modified graphs are approximations of the originals, but give operationally useful predictions and provide a four-fold reduction in the time required to perform the computations.